Upcoming Roundtables
Roundtables are live presentations led by our consultants for the first 15-20 minutes of the hour. The last part of the hour is devoted to Q & A time for those who attend live. The presentation portion of all Roundtables is recorded and added to the Video Library; so if you can’t attend live, you will still have access to the content if you are a member of the Center. We encourage live attendance to help you build your network and ask the consultants questions that directly impact your organization or congregation. Hearing from others will also help you know you aren’t alone in this work.
Nonprofit Compliance - Increasing Credibility Through Regulations
We’ll cover important ways you can use your annual IRS 990 report, state charity registrations, gift receipting, and accreditations to build donor confidence and strengthen your organizaiton. These administrative requirements are a lot of work, so let’s get greater value out of them beyond just compliance.
Series: Leading Through Storms: Leading in Transition
Whether planned or unplanned, leadership transitions are a fork in the road. One path leads to disarray, confusion, and stress. We suggest a better path, one where leaders step up and in, mission remains (or gets) clear, and organizations prepare for growth and success. This session will discuss key strategies to undertake leadership transitions as smoothly as possible.
Series: Leading in Storms: Leading in Conflict
When conflict enters our organization, we must address it with a goal of reconciliation, and prioritizing the preservation our mission integrity. Conflict at any level has the potential to disrupt an organization, so how do we confront conflict, at all levels? How can we move conflict into collaboration? How do we handle conflict when is seems inevitable or unfixable? This session will discuss how we can best address conflict in our organizations.
Series: Leading through Storms: Leading in Crisis
When we experience unplanned crisis, stress and anxiety permeate the organization at all levels. Whatever causes the crisis (financial, disaster, failures, etc.), our response matters. How do we respond well, lead well, and recover well? This session will discuss some simple best practices to keep front of mind through any organizational crisis.
Resiliency and Flexibility
It is easy to see the glass as half empty. These are challenging times. There is a path forward. Every organization has strengths and weaknesses. Too often, leadership focuses on what cannot happen, longing for the glory days of the past. Strong organizations cast a vision for the future, focusing on strengths and mission.
Responding to Anxiety: Anxiety is present in every system, the key is responding not reacting.
You cannot leave your worries at home or at work or at church. Try as you might, anxiety is cumulative and we bring it with us wherever we go. This means when interacting with people they bring all that background with them. Responding not reacting is the key to healthy relationships.
Self-Differentiation: Knowing who you are as an individual and as an organization
In system thinking, this is called self-differentiation. People who are not well self-differentiated tend to agree with the person in front of them. Trying to keep everyone happy all the time is a recipe for disaster.
In this roundtable, GSB Consultant Paul Walters will help us better understand these realities.
System Thinking: Understanding your organization as an interconnected web
Understanding any organization as an interconnected system helps bring clarity. When change in one place brings unexpected change in another place you have a system. Viewing the organization you serve as a system can help leaders as they navigate the challenges of the days.
Annual Update: Giving in the USA Report
In this session, GSB Partner Evan Moilan, CFRE, will share the latest national data from GivingUSA, released at the end of June. Together, we will explore what it means for your organization's approach to the rest of 2024.
The Equipping Leader
This month, partner, professional coach, and seasoned leader Nathan Swenson-Reinhold will discuss the attributes of an equipping leader who empowers organizations toward effectiveness, engagement, and joy. This is at the heart of a successful organization.
Strategic Planning Part 2: From Listening to Implementing
True strategic objectives come from listening to all your stakeholders. Guiding that conversation and gathering information is critical. From here, you move on to developing the plan and then implementing it.
In this Roundtable, GSB Partner, Mitzie Schafer will talk you through the listening process, how to use what you learn to develop a comprehensive plan, and how to move forward with faithful implementation so the plan doesn’t stall out.
Strategic Planning Part 1: The Need & Identifying What is Driving Your Work
Strategic Plans don’t always have the best “reputation” in nonprofits and churches. Organizations often spend a lot of money developing them to have them sit on a shelf doing nothing.
Within organizations, some people naturally think and work strategically. Others thrive on knocking things off their to-do list. To-do lists are not the same as making crucial decisions that help guide the work of the organization toward common goals and objectives.
During this Roundtable, we will explore how to identify if your organization leans more toward thinking and acting strategically or if it is all in on those to-do list items.
The secret is that you need both. GSB Partner Mitzie Schafer will help you evaluate where your organization falls on the spectrum and how to set up your workflow to ensure the right balance.
Special Appeals: Final Phase: Thanking and Storytelling
A Special Appeal allows your organization to invite donors with a specific, timely, and important reason to consider an additional gift. New donors will appreciate the specificity of the request. Many of your regular donors will get excited about the appeal and take part.
Special Appeals: Public Phase: Motivating and Asking
A Special Appeal allows your organization to invite donors with a specific, timely, and important reason to consider an additional gift. New donors will appreciate the specificity of the request. Many of your regular donors will get excited about the appeal and take part.
Special Appeals: Pre-Campaign Phase: The Giving Chart and Lead Gifts
A Special Appeal allows your organization to invite donors with a specific, timely, and important reason to consider an additional gift. New donors will appreciate the specificity of the request. Many of your regular donors will get excited about the appeal and take part.
Special Appeals: Pre-Campaign Phase: Building a Case for Support
A Special Appeal allows your organization to invite donors with a specific, timely, and important reason to consider an additional gift. New donors will appreciate the specificity of the request. Many of your regular donors will get excited about the appeal and take part.
Feasibility Studies: Are they Really Necessary?
GSB always recommends a feasibility or pre-campaign study prior to a campaign. In this roundtable, we will discuss what a feasibility study is, what we learn from it, and how it sets the foundation for a successful campaign.
Recruiting Board/Council Members
Recruiting people to serve in leadership positions too often involves persistent badgering until people, who may not have the needed skill set, eventually give in and agree to serve.
Fundraising Data: Why Tracking Your Fundraising Effort Matters
Giving may be up. It may be down. Either way, do you know why? Was it something you did? Or didn't do? Is a certain appeal still worth sending? An event worth doing?
Evaluating your fundraising program is key to good stewardship of your financial and human resources. Evaluating and tracking your fundraising efforts is an ongoing process that can help guide your strategies and better allocate resources in ways that will strengthen donor giving.
Building an Annual Calendar for Generosity - Planning for the Annual Appeal
PART 4: It’s easy for organizations to fall into the trap that inviting gifts only happens at certain dates on a calendar. For congregations, it’s typically in the fall. For other non-profits, it’s the end of the year. A solid year-round plan for generosity, building on an annual appeal and end of year, leads to lasting results.
Building an Annual Calendar for Generosity - Telling Stories. Thanking Donors.
PART 3: It’s easy for organizations to fall into the trap that inviting gifts only happens at certain dates on a calendar. For congregations, it’s typically in the fall. For other non-profits, it’s the end of the year. A solid year-round plan for generosity, building on an annual appeal and end of year, leads to lasting results.
Building an Annual Calendar for Generosity - Talking Generosity When Not Inviting Gifts
PART 2: It’s easy for organizations to fall into the trap that inviting gifts only happens at certain dates on a calendar. For congregations, it’s typically in the fall. For other non-profits, it’s the end of the year. A solid year-round plan for generosity, building on an annual appeal and end of year, leads to lasting results.
Building an Annual Calendar for Generosity - Ending the Year Well
It’s easy for organizations to fall into the trap that inviting gifts only happens at certain dates on a calendar. For congregations, it’s typically in the fall. For other non-profits, it’s the end of the year. A solid year-round plan for generosity, building on an annual appeal and end of year, leads to lasting results.
Leading and Thriving During the Best and Worst of Times
Leading and thriving in a non-profit organization can be both rewarding and challenging, especially during times of success and times of uncertainty. Whether it is navigating through times of abundance or grappling with a crisis or adversity, non-profit leaders must possess the skills and qualities necessary to guide their organizations and establish a sustainable impact effectively.
The Equipping Leader, Part 2 - Commissioning, Supervising, and Affirming
Learn to empower your team toward the effective execution of ministry goals. During Part 2 we will cover commissioning, supervising, and affirming.
The Equipping Leader, Part 1 - Vision, Recruiting, and Training
Learn to empower your team toward the effective execution of ministry goals. During Part 1 we will cover vision, recruitment, and training.
Money and Proclamation #3 - A Theology of Money (Beyond Generosity)
“Whatever you do, don’t talk about money from the pulpit!” Yet how can we preach without addressing the single greatest anxiety in most people’s lives?
This three-part series will help leaders address the crushing shame and anxiety that most people in the pew encounter every day. What Good News can the church proclaim that will bring hope and healing? How can we help people move beyond guilt to abundant living?
Money and Proclamation #2 - Good News
“Whatever you do, don’t talk about money from the pulpit!” Yet how can we preach without addressing the single greatest anxiety in most people’s lives?
This three-part series will help leaders address the crushing shame and anxiety that most people in the pew encounter every day. What Good News can the church proclaim that will bring hope and healing? How can we help people move beyond guilt to abundant living?
Money and Proclamation #1 – Overcoming Shame
This three-part series will help leaders address the crushing shame and anxiety that most people in the pew encounter every day. What Good News can the church proclaim that will bring hope and healing? How can we help people move beyond guilt to abundant living?